This invention relates to method and apparatus for forming containers (e.g., cigarette boxes) with curved or rounded edges.
Many consumers prefer to purchase cigarettes and other products in boxes rather than soft packages. Among the reasons for this preference is the fact that a box tends to protect its contents somewhat better than a soft package. One disadvantage of boxes, however, is that they may have sharper and stiffer edges than a soft package. This may increase the wear on accessories (e.g., handbags) or articles of cloth (e.g., shirt pockets) in which the box is carried. Many consumers have also been found to prefer the "softer" feel of containers with curved or rounded edges.
The present invention comprises methods and apparatus for making containers such as cigarette boxes with curved or rounded edges and for making container blanks which, when formed into containers, automatically tend to have curved or rounded edges.